The Latest Bedtime Update

Bedtime is the subject of many parenting books . . . most of which I've been lucky to not need to read!  Lincoln has been really great at bedtime for most of his three and a half years!  He moved into his crib swaddled at 3 weeks, stayed at the lowest level of the crib until he was almost two and a half, and stayed in the crib with a zip-up tent keeping him safe for six more months.  For his third birthday, we took off the front of the crib and installed a safety rail.  I was crazy scared that he would not do well with this new found freedom!  Linc surprised us all with his ability to understand our instructions,and he stayed in his bed and stayed quiet (for the most part) until someone came to get him.  I was amazed!  Lately, he's been really living it up in his bedroom after we put him to bed.  He constantly climbs out to collect different objects from around his room that he needs in his bed.  Once he unplugged the lamp, but then found that touching plugs comes with major consequences.  Once he climbed up on his nightstand to reach the stick that opens the blinds, but then found that opening the blinds also comes with  major consequences.  I'm not that crazy to think that he's angelically lying in bed in total silence for 10 hours, but I do have a few basic rules that we now repeat each night!  So today I decided that we just needed to get rid of the safety rail and go all big boy bed!  He was thrilled and was happy to pose for a picture!  By the way, I totally think there is WAY TOO MUCH stuff in his bed.  Each night I take a few things out that have mysteriously found their way into the pile.  Currently he has five books, one car, two rubber duckies, two teddy bears, Franklin the Turtle, two blankets, two pillows and a train locomotive.  (And that's after I took out an elephant, two tigers, three cars and two giant books this afternoon - seriously, it's crazy!)

 He was talking nonstop and giving me a full run-down of the removal of the safety rail and how that would make it so easy to get in and out of the bed.  All of a sudden, an important thought occurred to him:  "Mom, you know in the morning I will just put my feet on the floor and sit on my bed and think about what I will do that day."  He was demonstrating this "thinking" pose for me!  Hilarious!  Does this period of thinking consist of having to decide between playing with blocks or cars for morning free time?  I wonder . . .

 It was time to practice lying down, and Beau was definitely ready to get in on the action. 

 Now that is one full (and happy) bed! 

I've instructed Lincoln that his same rules apply without the rail (no touching lamps, blinds, nightlights, outlets, etc) and that if one of his things falls out it's ok to get out to retrieve it.  I also threw in that if he accidentally falls out, he should just get back in bed.  We'll see how this goes, but he was super excited about his new "even bigger boy bed" tonight!